Lost Souls
by Mistress of the Arts
Summary: Rin discovers that sometimes getting lost means being found, especially when he meets an older girl with the same views as him and offers to show him the way. -Oneshot. Rin/OC.- Part I of III.


_A/N: So I've been a fan of __**Blue Exorcist**__ for a couple of years now, but I haven't really had the courage to write for it. Well being a devoted Yukio/Shiemi shipper, I thought that maybe in future Rin would find someone. And then the plot bunnies mated rapidly and this idea was born. Hope you guys enjoy it._

_Blue Exorcist & Characters © Kazue Kato_

_Original Characters & Storyline © Mistress of the Arts_

* * *

"Dammit, Yukio's going to kill me!"

The cold morning air surged through his lungs as he scrambled out the door, struggling to finish tying his tie as his feet moved him forward. His blue eyes scanned the sky briefly, catching a faint glimpse of storm clouds in the distance, with the sky slowly taking on a dull atmosphere. He breathed in evenly as he continued to sprint, turning sharply around the corner and ignoring the persistent buzzing coming from his pocket.

Rin Okumura already knew he was a dead man in the eyes of his twin brother, Yukio. He would come up with a better excuse along the way as to why he was late - not that he had fallen asleep late last night due to reading manga, especially after Yukio had scolded him and told him to get to bed early because of how important today was.

Today was the day that they would be touring the University level of True Cross Academy. If he wanted to continue with his pursuit of becoming an Exorcist, Rin would have to study harder and work harder.

If only he could find a way to _not_ sleep through his five alarm clocks…

"No! Wait! STOP!" Rin exclaimed, barreling his way down the steps. "Oh man…"

Rin groaned as he reached the train station, realizing he had just missed the last train heading in the direction of the University. Cursing under his breath, he located the map and the times sheet, scrunching up his nose in annoyance before he turned on his heel and took off back up the steps.

He took off down the bridge, passing people by and feeling Kurikara whacking against his lower back as he ran. The moment his eyes spotted the University in the distance, he quickened his pace - that is until he realized his tail was still out in the open.

Hastily tucking said tail into his trousers, Rin slowed down as he reached the intersection and looked around for the best route to reach the main entrance of the University. He jumped to the side as the crosswalk light changed, older students all moving and bustling quickly to get where they needed to go. Only a handful seemed to notice the high school student among them. Dark blue eyes darted about, watching them curiously to see if any were heading in the direction he needed to be.

_They all seem so sophisticated and older than me… more adult. Maybe the old man was right and I'm still just a kid. Ah, whatever! I need to get my ass to the school pronto! I happen to like breathing and not having Four Eyes capping me in the ass!_

"What's he doing here…?"

"Maybe he's touring with the others…?"

"Looks to me like he's ditching. What a delinquent…"

Rin stiffened, shooting a glare in the general direction of the whispers - a group of three girls heading inside of a café. He opened his mouth to say something when a loud rumbling from overhead caught his attention. He jerked to the right and caught sight of lightning flashing just before the rain started to pour.

The students scattered at once, rushing toward their destinations or to take cover, others pulling out umbrellas and hurrying toward the train station. Rin didn't want to show up drenched, so he bolted as fast as he could toward the café, shaking his head the moment he was inside to shake off the water, which had already dampened his raven hair. He ran his fingers through the messy strands, attempting to get his bangs to stop clinging to his forehead, before patting at his blazer to attempt to dry it.

A loud beep caught Rin's attention a moment later, with him reaching into his pocket and withdrawing his cell phone. He groaned as the _dead battery _sign flashed across the screen seconds before it went black.

_Oh well. Least Yukio can't keep calling me to bitch me out for being late._

Rin sighed, glancing around the café awkwardly as he realized he had drawn attention to himself. The three girls from before scoffed and turned away from him in a snotty manner, causing him to roll his eyes, before he awkwardly shuffled away from the doorway. He turned slightly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sorry…sorry…" he mumbled to the couple who had been trying to get inside.

The man gave a curt nod before turning away. Rin chuckled nervously, still rubbing his neck out of habit as he stepped back from the woman, who sent him an unnerving glare. It reminded him freakishly of Izumo and how scary she could be pissed off. Not wanting to test that theory of how alike the two of them could possibly be, he quickly backed away, only to nearly trip over the leg of one of the chairs.

"Shit!"

Rin flailed slightly, trying not to fall over, only for him to land backwards.

The first thing he noticed were gray eyes - so pale and bright, they reminded him of mercury. The second thing he noticed was the pink tinge that marred her apricot cheeks. The third thing he noticed was that the chair he was seated in was _not _a chair at all.

He was sitting on an older girl.

"Easy there, kid." She snatched his sleeve as he scrambled out of lap, keeping him from knocking into the server who was bussing tables. "Calm down, geez…" She actually gave him a slight smile as Rin apologized hastily to the waitress. "Sit already before you cause a fire!"

Rin obeyed, simply because at the rate he was going, he may actually end up doing that.

The girl turned slightly - with Rin immediately noticing a neon blue streak in her wavy, chocolate brown hair - before she snagged the waitress as she went to pass. "Hey, can you get me two of my usual? Thanks, hun." She then turned back to the fidgeting high school boy.

"You are too young to be a student at the University, kid. Did you get lost on the tour or something and then rained on?"

"Not exactly…" Rin mumbled, feeling embarrassed that she kept calling him a kid. "And I'm not a kid! I'm in my second year of high school and 16..."

She chuckled slightly, the laugh actually cute. "Sorry. I'm used to be the oldest in my class and looking after everyone, even though I couldn't care less about what they do. Inari tends to get on my case."

_Inari. That name's familiar._

"You mean the goddess?"

"She wishes she was," the brunette snorted. "Nah, Inari was named after the goddess. She's my older sister. She thinks that just because she works for the Vatican that everything has to be done a certain way and everyone has to follow certain codes of conduct. Me? I'm more of a just kick whatever's in the way's ass and enjoying life to the fullest."

"So you're an Exorcist?!"

"Yes and no. I studied in cram school back in high school but never was able to get further than Exwire status. They said I didn't have the right attitude so I went rogue. Are you training to be one?"

"I'm an Exwire…"

"You look familiar… wait! Are you related to Yukio Okumura?"

"You know Yukio? He's my brother."

"Heh, met him a couple of times. He helped evacuate me during an attack." There was a slight pause before she pressed her palm to her forehead. "Ah, geez…where the hell are my manners? I don't even know your name - that is, unless you want me to call you kid forever…"

"I'm not a kid! It's Rin."

"Rin…" She repeated the name quietly before giving a small smile. "I'm Hiromi."

"Hi-ro-mi…" Rin broke up the syllables and grinned. "Cute name."

"As if," Hiromi rolled her gray eyes. "It doesn't suit me at all. That's the kind of name you give to someone who is super beautiful and graceful. I'm a tomboy who ends up trying to defy gravity and then gravity kicks my ass."

Rin wanted to argue with her on the whole pretty thing, but didn't know how to say it without sounding creepy, so he settled for clearing his throat. "So what year of University are you in?"

"First year," Hiromi replied. "So I'm a little over two years older than you. That also means I'm your senpai!"

"Hey now, that doesn't mean you can boss me around." Rin protested at once, but a hint of a smile was on his lips.

Hiromi simply stood up, with Rin taking in her stature for the first time. She was tall for a girl, actually close to his own height, and she had an average build - she wasn't slender like Izumo or even curvaceous like Shiemi, but she still had an attractive build. She looked like she could hold her own in a fight - human or demon.

"Thanks, hun." She turned to the waitress, who had returned with two Styrofoam cups and black lids, paying the waitress and then motioning for Rin to follow her. "C'mon, little kohai of mine, we best get you where you belong."

"I can find my own way around!" Rin exclaimed, but his feet compelled him to follow after her.

"Then why are you coming with me?"

"Oh be quiet, Hiromi…"

She chuckled again before they stepped outside of the café. The rain was a light drizzle now, falling down in a pleasant shower on the academy city. Hiromi pulled her black leather backpack off her back, pulling out an umbrella and opening it. She reached over and snagged Rin's arm, locking hers through his and pulling him beside her underneath the umbrella.

"It's this way, Rin."

His feet moved without his consent, falling into a pace that matched Hiromi's. He couldn't help but glance at her from the corner of his gaze as they walked, heading down the street. His thoughts were whirling like a tornado in his head, and he felt confused by her actions.

"Hey…Hiromi…?"

"What is it?"

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

They came to a stop at the crosswalk, with her glancing at their reflection in the puddle by their feet for a second. She gave a sad smile before turning slightly and meeting his blue eyes.

She could see the pain in them, hidden behind his need to belong in a world that didn't want him.

The light changed and they were moving again.

"You seem like you just need someone to be your friend…besides, if I had someone reach out and help me when I was your age, maybe I wouldn't be so jaded." Hiromi shrugged. "I think you're a nice guy, just struggling to belong. If that's wrong, then I don't want to be right. I just want to be there, if you'll let me."

Rin blinked rapidly. "But you seem like the kind of person who doesn't care about other people…"

"I care about humanity as a whole and don't want anything tragic to happen to it, but you're right - I detest other people. I'm a loner and I'm content that way…but that doesn't mean I want to be lonely either. So if I stumble upon a lost soul like myself, I figure… what the hell? Might as well stick together, right?"

"Even though you know next to nothing about me?"

"You'd be surprised how much you can discover about a person by one simple glance into their eyes when they let their guard down." Hiromi mused, before her feet came to a stop as they reached the entrance of the University. "I know enough."

"Hiromi…"

"Don't worry about it, 'kay?" Hiromi cut him off before she pulled out her cell phone. "Got a number, kid?"

"Huh?"

"Your number. Give it to me so that if you have any questions about school or life or whatever I can help you."

"Why…?"

"I want to."

"Simply just because?"

"Simply just because."

Rin's lips twitched into a small smile. "Alright then, Miss Senior Citizen." Rin rattled off his digits and even gave her his email, with her saving his number. "So what now?"

"Now…you go and start making the future you want for yourself, Rin Okumura."

Her hands pressed to his back, shoving him forward. Rin stumbled and hastily caught himself, flailing and turning around.

"Hey! Hiromi!"

She was already gone.

"I think…I just made a friend…" Rin blinked and smiled faintly. "It might be nice, having someone to talk to besides Yukio…"

At least she seemed to understand him, even if it was just by a little bit.

It was a nice feeling to have.

One he would hold on to for as long as he could.

* * *

_A/N: I wanted someone who would click with Rin as a friend first and then maybe, like super far ahead in time, they could click as something else. :p Review please? I'd very much like to hear your thoughts on Hiromi and Rin. Thanks!_

-_Mistress of the Arts_


End file.
